Harsh travel warning of the Anti-Terrorism Headquarters doesn't stop Israelis from flying to Turkey

The harsh travel warning of the Anti-Terrorism Headquarters and the Foreign Minister's call for Israelis to leave Istanbul immediately due to warnings of an Iranian attack did not deter the thousands of Israelis who took off for Turkey yesterday on dozens of flights.
On average, it took off yesterday from Israel to the largest city in Turkey, which is the focus of the travel warning center, once every half hour - just like the frequency of trains from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. Thousands of passengers have taken off for Istanbul since the travel warning was issued in recent days, in addition to the many parallel flights to other cities in the country, such as Antalya and Ankara.
The start of the tourist season, the warming of relations with Ankara and the end of two suffocating years of the Corona plague did their part: a large part of the travelers to Istanbul did indeed do so as a stopover as part of a connecting flight to other destinations. But for many, the city on the banks of the Bosphorus was the destination for a cheap and attractive early summer vacation. Prices for four-star hotels in the city center, between Taksim Square and the famous Istiklal Avenue, range from NIS 400 to NIS 800 per night for a couple, including breakfast. The cheap shopping experience and the convenient, cheap and fast flights here make the bells ringing from the country forget.
Among the pilots were two elderly couples from Beit Shemesh who plan to vacation for a week in Istanbul. One of the women admitted that she considered canceling due to security concerns and recalled in the same breath the cancellations of the mass vacations that were with the outbreak of the corona. "We were recently at a pampering resort in Sharm el-Sheikh, and even there they always said there were warnings of terrorist attacks in Sinai. We felt safe there and there is no reason not to feel that way in Istanbul. There are no terrorist attacks in the country?" "Not to stand out or speak loudly in Hebrew. If it is so serious that they will cancel the flights and return the money to us."
Despite the sharp warnings circulating in the media, hundreds of passengers to Istanbul were not shown any terminal warnings, instructions or instructions on how to drive during their stay in Turkey.
Dudi Tal is currently on leave in Istanbul, and arrived in the city even before the travel warning worsened. "I'm not really afraid. I walk around here freely in markets and streets and restaurants, speak Hebrew, play songs by Yardena Arazi without fear on the street and the Turkish locals welcome us warmly. For a moment there is no atmosphere of security panic here. I am not in a hurry to return to Israel." He says.
Borak Hortak, a tour guide in Turkey, said there was no change in the flow of Israeli tourists. "Everything is as usual. Israelis are still coming. If there is an organized trip with the guide and an attached bus, then there is no problem," he reassured. However, according to him, there are some Israelis who canceled their arrival. "There are some who are afraid of it and want to change the date. So far, these are only about 100 people."
The owner of a tourism company from the Galilee said that out of 55 families who signed up for a trip to Turkey, only six have canceled so far, although he made sure to indicate to them the travel warning. "I do not feel there is anxiety or fear among travelers. I even continue to receive additional inquiries from families who want to travel," he says.
A resident of Sakhnin said that in light of the warnings, she decided to cancel her flight. "I have decided to stop traveling for fear of these threats. At the moment we are waiting, and we will not drive and change route." Another woman from the north who decided to cancel a flight she had planned for another three weeks said: "The foreign minister's calls are frightening. It is better that we follow the guidelines so as not to be victims."